Bradley & Hubbard “Murano” Line Desk Set

This is an American Arts & Crafts era desk set, produced by the Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing Company of Meriden, Connecticut.

Despite the “Murano” mark, this set was not made in Italy, nor is it made of what we traditionally call Murano glass.

1. Identification & the “Murano” Mark

• The Maker: Bradley & Hubbard (B&H) was a major American metalwares manufacturer (1852–1940) famous for their high-quality lamps, clocks, and desk sets. They were a primary competitor to Tiffany Studios, offering similar “metal-over-glass” designs at a more accessible price point.
• The “Murano” Line: The paper label reading “Patented Murano Aug. 1, 1905” refers to a specific trade name used by Bradley & Hubbard for this line of products.
  • They used the name “Murano” to market their art glass inserts, to evoke the prestige and exotic quality of Venetian glass, which was highly fashionable at the turn of the century.
  • The patent date (Aug 1, 1905) refers to the design patent for the specific “frog skin” finish or the method of mounting the glass under the metal filigree.

2. Visual Description

• Style: The set is designed in the Arts & Crafts (or Mission) style, featuring geometric and stylized floral filigree work.
• Materials:
  • Metal: The body is spelter with a textured green verdigris finish (often collected under the term “Frog Skin” patina because of its bumpy texture).
  • Glass: Beneath the pierced metal overlay is slag glass (opaque, streaked glass), in cream, white, or caramel tones. This technique mimics the famous “Pine Needle” or “Grapevine” patterns of Tiffany Studios.
• Components:
  • Double Inkstand: Features two large, square glass inkwells with hinged metal lids, set into a filigree tray.
  • Pen Tray: A long, rectangular tray for holding dip pens.
  • Rocker Blotter: A curved tool used to blot wet ink from a page; this is where the “Murano” patent label is preserved.